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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, July 30, 2015 | 10 Couple is Big Brother Big Sister team to Little Brother by Bob Mitchell Oakville Beaver Staff Heather Taylor thought she would make a good Big Sister, but wondered whether her schedule would allow her the time needed for her Little Sister. No problem, she thought. Her husband Adam would just do something with her Little Sister if she was travelling for work. Just one problem -- the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization doesn't allow men to hang out with Little Sisters. "We found that out within ve minutes of our initial meeting," Adam said. "That shut everything down." They soon discovered there was another option -- they could participate as a couple. "I had never heard of it before," Heather said. Closing in on two years later, Adam and Heather are still mentoring Oakville's Isaiah Smith, who turns 12 next month and the Burlington husband and wife recently extended their participation for another year. "We're in it for as long as Isaiah will have us," said Adam, who, along with Heather, runs HT Designs, a small boutique design company in Oakville. They're one of only eight couples participating as Big Brothers Big Sisters in Halton, so there is an obvious need for more couples, as well as Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Adam and Heather Taylor are one of eight Halton couples to participate in the Big Brother/Big Sister program. They just signed up for another year with their Little Brother Isaiah Smith and recently enjoyed a mini-golf outing. | photo by Jayson Mills ­ Special to Oakville Beaver Halton of cials say there are 46 Big Brothers and 55 Big Sisters currently volunteering in the region. "We decided we wanted to do this as a couple because it was something that we could experience together since we aren't blessed with our own kids," Heather said. "Isaiah teaches us BULK MULCH, SOIL, SAND, COMPOST, INTERLOCK, STEPS, AGGREGATES, ARMOUR STONE, JUMBO FLAGSTONE, PIZZA OVEN, FIRE PITS AND MORE!! WE SELL ..... to step outside of our comfort zone, like going to the trampoline park or taking cooking classes," said Adam. "We did a three-weekend class last summer and we are hoping to do it again this summer as well. It turns out Isaiah is also passionate about cooking. "Plus, with all the activities we do, Isaiah keeps us young." Earlier this week, Adam and Heather challenged Isaiah to a game of mini golf at Within Range Golf Centre in Burlington and like most of their competitions, the Grade 6 student from Falgarwood Public School won. "He's pretty good at everything," Heather said. "And because we're doing this as a couple, it also gives him somebody else to beat." Isaiah has also bested them at indoor mini golf, bowling and at Mississauga's Playdium games centre. Nor are Adam and Heather any match for his talents or fearlessness on the indoor trampoline. Isaiah is also a good athlete. He plays running back and wide receiver for the Burlington Stampeders of the Ontario Football Conference PeeWee division and recently caught a gamewinning, 68-yard touchdown that powered The Stamps past the visiting Forest City Thunderbirds. In fact, his photo appeared in the Oakville Beaver's sister newspaper, the Burlington Post. Sometimes the Taylors attend his games, but his mother Melissa is a fan and is always there cheering on her son. The young student was also one of three MCs at a recent event that celebrated the B.R.A.V .O. (Building Respect, Attitudes and Values with Others) program, which is run with the Halton Regional Police and the school. It was Heather's idea to become a Big Sister. Adam tagged along with the intention of stepping in for his wife if she had other commitments. "We didn't go there expecting to do this as a couple," said Heather, who does marketing for Keen, an outdoor footwear company based in Portland, Ore. "I travel a lot and we also do a lot of trade shows, so I was concerned about whether I had the time," she said. "When I found out that couples could do this together, we decided to do it." But to participate as a couple, they had to do so with a Little Brother. "The organization doesn't allow men to associate with girls for obvious reasons and I completely understand," Adam said. "Heather could still be a Big Sister, but when she wasn't around, I couldn't step in for her. But, they have no problem with a women hanging out with a boy, so Isaiah was perfect." Isaiah's former Big Brother had commitments that precluded him continuing in the role and while Isaiah was at rst unsure he wanted to continue with the program, some urging from his see Program p. 14 Leaky Basement? 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